It's an experiment on the series
by toothpatterns
Summary: Purpose: To get as close as possible to what a cannon romantic relationship between Sherlock and John would look like. Question: What would really be different in the series if John and Sherlock had been a couple from the start? Method: Rewriting scenes from the series where needed for the relationship to make sense. Result: See for yourself.
1. A Study In Pink

**AN: **So, idea is that every episode will have its own chapter, where you you'll be able to see how a change in John and Sherlock's relationship would change the series. These three chapters are season one, and season two might emerge as well if I get the time. Feedback is love

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**A Study in pink**

1. 

"I'll get a candle for the table, it's more romantic"

"I'm not his date- ", John starts, but that's the second time it's been implied in the last two minutes, and the fourth that evening. He stops and turns to his new flat mate "- wait, am I?"

Sherlock turns to stare out the window, ignoring him. "You may as well eat; it might be a long wait."

There is a long and rather awkward silence after that, before John finds something to say. "People don't have arch enemies."

Sherlock comes back to life. "Sorry?"

"In real life. There are no arch enemies, it doesn't happen."

Sherlock turns back to the window. "Doesn't it? Sounds a bit dull."

"So who did I meet?"

Again, Sherlock doesn't give him a straight answer. "What do people have then, in their real lives?"

"Friends. People they like, people they don't like." John hesitates for a moment before moving on. "Girlfriends, boyfriends…"

Sherlock doesn't seem to notice "As I said: dull."

"You don't have a girlfriend then?"

"Girlfriend? No, not really my area"

The last bit makes John stop in his tracks. Hello. "All right. Do you have a boyfriend?"

Now Sherlock finally turns from the window to fix his gaze on John. "No", he says, keeping his eyes on him. It's just a bit too much for John to keep his cool. He breaks eye contact, turning to his food.

"All right. You're unattached, just like me. Fine. Good."

There is another awkward silence where Sherlock first looks out the window again, then does a double take. He takes a moment to decide on a course of action, then:

"John. Erm. I think you should know that I consider myself married to my work and while I'm flattered by your interest, I'm really not looking for anything…"

"Oh no, no. I'm not asking- no. I'm just saying. It's all fine"

The consultant detective looks a bit relieved. "Good. Thank you."

2. 

"So the shooter, no sign?"

"Cleared off before we got here. A guy like that could have had enemies I suppose, one that would have been following him, but... we've got nothing to go on"

Sherlock tilts his head and smirks a bit "Oh, I wouldn't say that"

Lestrade half stops himself from giving off a sigh. "Okay, give me"

Sherlock gets up and off the ambulance. "The bullet they just dug out of the wound was from a handgun. Killing shot from that distance from that kind of a weapon, that's a crack shot we're looking for, but not just a marksman, fighter's hands, couldn't have shaken at all, so clearly he's acclimatized to violence. He didn't fire until I was in immediate danger though, so strong moral principle. You're looking for a man, probably with a history of military service and nerves of steel –"

Sherlock trails off as he sees John standing by a police car and connects the dots. Their eyes meet for a moment, then John looks away, as if he has no idea what is going on. Really? Sherlock composes himself quickly, but then realizes he has to deal with Lestrade.

"Actually, You know what, Ignore me."

"What?"

"Ignore all of that, it's just the shock talking."

"Where are you going?"

"I just need to talk about the- the rent"

"I've still got questions."

Sherlock stops in his tracks, realizing that this isn't going to work. "What now? I'm in shock, look I've got a blanket"

"Sherlock!"

"And I've just caught you a serial killer! More or less."

Finally Lestrade seems to give in. "Okay. I'll call you in tomorrow, off you go."

Sherlock walks over to John, discarding the blanket and turning up his collar on the way. John is still acting innocent, though he does avoid eye contact at first and a small chuckle betrays him. "Sergeant Donovan's just been explaining it to me. The two pills. Dreadful business that. Dreadful."

John's eyes wander over Sherlock as he says the last part. Sherlock just looks at him in amazement and with a tiny smile on his lips. "Good shot."

"Yes, must have been, through that window."

Sherlock keeps smiling at him, and there is almost something gentle in his voice when he says: "Well, you'd know."

There is another short pause and then Sherlock seems to snap out of it "We need to get the powder burns out of your fingers, I don't suppose you'll serve time for this, but let's avoid the court case." Then there is a look of concern. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, of course I'm all right"

"You know you've just killed a man"

"Yes." The first response is short, then John looks at Sherlock and smiles a bit when he says: "It's true. But he wasn't a very nice man."

"No, he wasn't, was he?"

"… And frankly a bloody awful cabbie."

The two of them laugh. "It's true, he was a bad cabbie. You should have seen the route he took just to get us here." John and Sherlock start walking, giggling like a pair of school boys.

"Stop it, we can't giggle at a crime scene"

"You're the one who shot him, not me"

"Keep your voice down!" John turns to Sergeant Donovan, who of course walked past right at that moment. "Sorry, it's just the nerves" Then he slows down and clears his throat.

"You were going to take that damn pill, weren't you?"

Sherlock stops and turns around to face him "Of course I wasn't. I was biding my time. Till you'd turn up." He looks away slightly at the last part.

John doesn't waver. "No you didn't. It's how you get your kicks isn't it, you risk your life to prove you're clever?"

"Why would I do that?"

"'Cause you're an idiot."

Then, finally, Sherlock breaks into a wide smile. There is a short pause.

"Dinner?"

John's smile widens. He clears his throat, still having to make sure. "I thought you were married to your work."

"Well, we work well together, don't we?"

"Yes, we do". John eyes Sherlock up and down again before nodding. "I thought you'd never ask."


	2. The Blind Banker

**The blind banker. **

1.

"Sherlock Holmes!" The banker sweeps in and shakes Sherlock's hand, using his free hand to give Sherlock's arm a friendly pat.

"Sebastian."

"Hi there buddy. What has it been, eight years since I last clapped eyes on you?"

Sherlock doesn't respond, but keeps his gaze fixed on Sebastian. "This is my friend, John Watson"

Sebastian looks slightly surprised. "Friend?"

John frowns a bit at Sherlock. Not that they've talked about the definition issue before, but… "Um, yes. Hi."

Sebastian shakes John's hand. "Right. Grab a pew."

2.

"I said, could you pass me a pen?" Sherlock doesn't spare John a glance. His gaze is fixed on the mirror, around which their working material is pinned, but it's not focused.

John looks around in confusion. "What, when?"

"About an hour ago"

John spots the pen on a table behind him and tosses it to Sherlock. "Didn't notice I've gone out then." Sherlock catches it while still staring at the mirror. John walks over to the mirror. "I went to see about that job at the surgery."

"How was it?"

"Fine. My new employer seems nice at least."

Sherlock nods, jerks his head to the article shown on his computer. "Here, have a look."

3.

John walks over to the reception desk at the surgery, trying to look like a productive worker done for the day. He clears his throat. "looks like I'm done for the day, I thought there was more to see?"

Sarah look up from her paper work. "Oh, I took one or two of yours."

"One or two?"

Sarah straightens up a bit, looking a bit more authorative. "Well maybe five or six…"

John hangs his head in defeat. "I'm sorry, that's not very professional."

"Not really, no."

"I'd a bit of a late night."

Sarah starts a bit. "Oh, right. So, what were you doing, keeping you up so late?"

"I was attending a sort of book event."

Sarah decides to test the water. "Oh. So she likes books, does she, your girlfriend?

John hesitates for a moment, rubbing his neck. Well, it has to come out at some point. "Actually, it's sort of a boyfriend."

"Oh."

There is a short, but awkward silence. John hesitates again, then: "This won't happen again, I promise. Will let me get you a pint or something, just to say thanks for taking my patients?"

4.

"I need to get some air, we're going out tonight."

"Actually, I've already made plans. I'm taking my boss out."

Sherlock frowns at him "What?"

John crosses his arms in defiance. "Yeah, amazingly she didn't sack me when I slept through my shift thanks to you, so I have to make up for it somehow."

Sherlock softens, looking a bit guilty. "Bring her along then. I was thinking of this - " He walks over to John and hands him a piece of a poster. "In London for one night only."

"You couldn't let me have one night off?"

Sherlock leans forward, already wrapped up in the case again. "The yellow dragon circus. In London for one day, it fits. The Tong sent an assassin to England-"

"- dressed as a tight rope walker." John is just about ready to tear his hair out in frustration. "Come on Sherlock, behave!"

"Look, we're looking for a killer who can climb, who can shimmy up a rope, where else can you find that level of dexterity? Exit visas are scarce in China. They needed a pretty good reason to get out of that country, now all I need is to have a quick look around the place- "

John has calmed down a bit and decides to use a different tactic. " Fine, You do that, I'll take Sarah for a pint." He starts to turn away.

Sherlock raises his voice in frustration. "I need your help!"

John stops and turns around to look straight at him. "Sherlock, that's my boss! You think I'm going to get her to trust me when you're dragging me off to chase some killer?"

Sarah turns up and John gives Sherlock a sharp look before turning to her. "Heey… ready?"

5.

John contemplates Sherlock for a moment. "You mind, don't you?"

"What?"

"That she escaped, general Shan, it's not enough that we got her two henchmen."

Sherlock lets out a melancholic sigh. "It must be a vast network, John. Thousands of operatives. You and I, we barely scratched the surface." He picks up his newspaper again.

"You cracked the code though, Sherlock. Maybe Dimmock can track down all of them now that he knows it too."

"No. No, I cracked this code, all the smugglers have to do is to pick up another book."

John nods, then reaches out his hand to Sherlock, who glances up from the paper and takes it. John gives him a reassuring squeeze.


	3. The Great Game

**The great game**

1.

Sarah chuckles. "Well, maybe next time I'll let you keep to the end of my bed, you know. This seems a bit too cautious"

John smiles at her. "Sherlock taking over my bed won't be rectified just because I take over yours." Sarah smiles back at each other. They turn their attention to the TV for a moment.

"Say, do you want some breakfast?"

John looks up. "Sure"

Sarah smirks at him. "Well make it yourself, because I'm going to have a shower."

She walks off. John turns back to the news for a few minutes before the report about the explosion at Baker Street comes on. Upon seeing it, he rushes off yelling "Sorry, I've got to run!" to Sarah.

2.

"Pass me my phone"

John looks around "Where is it?"

Sherlock looks up at him and smirks. "Jacket."

John stiffens, then sighs in resignation and walks over to Sherlock. He wraps his arm around his shoulders before fishing out the phone. "Text from your brother."

"Delete it."

"Delete it?"

"Missile plans are out of the country by now, there's nothing we can do about it."

John looks at the phone. "Mycroft seems to think there is, he's texted you eight times. Must be important."

Sherlock looks up from his microscope and leans back, looking annoyed. "Then why didn't he cancel his dental appointment?"

"His what?"

"Mycroft never texts if he can talk- look, Andrew West stole the missile plans, tried to sell them and got his head smashed for his pains, end of story." Sherlock turns back to the microscope. "The only mystery here is this: why is my brother so determined to bore me when somebody else is being so delightfully interesting?"

John frowns at Sherlock. He lets go of him and steps away while turning off the phone. "Try to remember that there's a woman here that might die."

Sherlock looks at him "What for? This hospital's full of dying people, doctor, why don't you go cry by their bed side, see what good it does then?"

An alarm goes off, signifying a match. Suddenly Molly comes in."Any luck?"

Sherlock is visibly cheered. "Oh yes!"

A young man enters after her, but is left standing by the doorway when he seems Sherlock and John, looking rather uncertain. "Oh sorry- Hi, I didn't- "

"Jim! Hi, come in, come in!" Molly motions to Sherlock. "Jim, this is Sherlock Holmes." She looks at John. "And..." She makes a slightly apologetic face. "sorry..."

John lets out a soft sigh. "John Watson, hi."

"Hi". Jim says it absent mindedly, keeping his attention fixed on Sherlock. "So you're Sherlock Holmes. Molly's told me all about you. Are you on one of your cases?"

"Jim works in IT upstairs", Molly explains. "That's how we met; office romance!" Molly and Jim chuckle.

"Sherlock casts a glance at Jim before going back to his microscope."Gay"

Molly's smile disappears. "Sorry, what?"

"Nothing, um, hey."

"Hey" Jim stares at Sherlock, and ends up accidentally knocking over a dish set on the table."Sorry, sorry!" He scrambles to pick it up, then composes himself. "Well I'd better be off." He walks by Molly on his way out. "I'll see you at The Fox. About six-ish?".

"Yeah!" She nods at him.

Jim then turns to Sherlock. "Bye! It was nice to meet you."

Sherlock ignores him however, leaving John to take pity on him. "You too."

At soon as Jim is out the door, Molly turns to Sherlock "What do you mean gay? We're together"

Sherlock studies her. "And domestic bliss must suit you Molly, you've put on three pounds since I last saw you."

Once again Sherlock has manages to wipe the smile off Molly's face. "Two and a half"

Sherlock doesn't compromise. "No, three"

Now getting upset, Molly turns back to the subject at hand in a strained voice. "He's not gay. Why do you have to spoil-!" She cuts herself off then lowers her voice. "He's not."

Sherlock huffs. "You were hardly at the forefront of his mind."

John rolls his eyes. "Someone's got himself a big head"

Sherlock sighs in exasperation. "He walks in and barely glances at you or Molly. Polite man like that wouldn't just ignore present company, especially not his girlfriend, unless there was a reason. His attention was focused elsewhere, so where was he looking then? He was looking at me, and he was looking at me the whole time, barely noticing anything else, which suggests attraction. Then there's his underwear. "

Molly frowns in disbelief. "His underwear?"

"Visible above the waistline, very particular brand, only ever sold in stores and on websites directed to gay men. That, plus the extremely suggestive fact that he just left his number under this dish here, I'd say you better break it off now and save yourself the pain"

Molly's face has gone blank. She looks from Sherlock to John, then turns around and storms off.

3.

"Points."

"Yes!"John flinches, stands up and stumbles backwards into Sherlock, who wraps his arms around him.

"I knew you'd get there eventually. West wasn't killed here, that's why there was so little blood."

John sighs and shakes his head slightly. That bloody- "How long have you been following me?"

"Since the start." John hangs his head in disbelief. "You don't think I'd give up on a case like this just to spite my brother, did you?" Sherlock rests his chin on his shoulder. Then speaks in a softer tone. "You've done really well.

Aha. John lifts his head and smiles fondly, then leans back into Sherlock's embrace. They stand like that for a moment before Sherlock places a kiss to his temple and steps away. "Come on. We've got a bit of burglary to do."

4.

"What if I were to just shoot you now?"

Moriarty seems to ponder it for a slit second. "Then you could cherish the look of surprise on my face" He opens his mouth and eyes wide in an imitation of shock. "Because I would be surprised, Sherlock, really I would." He frowns slightly. "And just a teensy bit disappointed. And of course you wouldn't get to cherish it for very long."

Still ignoring the gun pointed at his face, Moriarty takes a step back. "Ciao, Sherlock Holmes." He walks away.

Sherlock regards him coolly, following Moriarty with his aim as he walks out. "Catch. You. Later."

"No you won't."

As soon as Moriarty is out of sight, Sherlock pockets the gun and sets to work on the bombs attached to John's clothes. "All right? Are you all right?"

John relaxes, but stays passive as Sherlock works his clothes off. All his energy seems to have evaporated. "Yeah, yeah yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine. Sherlock?" Sherlock, who is working frantically on getting John's vest off, doesn't seem to hear him. "Sherlock!"

Sherlock still doesn't respond. Only when he's thrown the jacket and the vest covered in explosives to the other side of the pool, he turns to John. He pulls him into a tight hug, kissing him and holding him up while John takes calming breaths. After a few moments John regains some of his composure. "Are _you_ okay?"

Sherlock's head shoots up from where it's been buried in John's neck. "Me? Yeah. I'm fine, I'm fine. I'm fine" He blinks, trying to collect himself. "That, uh, thing that you did, that.." He clears his throat. "..that you offered to do, that was…" he trails off.

John looks up at him. "Good?", he offers. Sherlock places a long kiss on his forehead, but doesn't respond. John lets the matter drop."I'm glad no one saw that."

"Hm?"

"You, ripping my clothes off in a darkened swimming pool. What a stereotype."

Sherlock pulls back a bit to smile at him. They chuckle, but suddenly a red dot appears on John's cheek.

Moriarty bursts through the door. "Sorry boys! I'm soo changeable!" He laughs and spreads his arms. "It is a weakness with me, but to be fair to myself, it is my only weakness." Then Moriarty grows serious. "You can't be allowed to continue. You just can't. I would try to convince you, but-" He chuckles. "Everything I have to say has already crossed your mind!"

The couple shares a look before Sherlock pulls out the gun and aims it at Moriarty. "Probably my answer has crossed yours." He lowers the gun to aim at the bomb on the floor.


	4. A Scandal In Belgravia

Here we go, the longest part to date and what will probably be the longest one in the series. Consider the scene with Jeanette deleted (and possibly the last sequence as well, but that's up to you). I'd like to thank Ariane DeVere for writing a transcript on the episode that's been a life saver whenever the characters start to mumble.

Also, please help me make the story better- write a review!

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**Scandal in Belgravia**

1.

"You realize this is a tiny bit humiliating?" John's voice is distorted a bit by the speaker in Sherlock's laptop.

Sherlock comes out of his bedroom, yawning and dressed in only a sheet. He grabs a coffee cup before picking up the laptop. "It's okay, I'm fine. Now, show me to the stream."

"I didn't really mean for you"

"Look, this is a six", Sherlock says sharply. "No point in my leaving the flat for anything less than a seven, we agreed. Now go back. Show me the grass."

Over in the field, John does as he is told. He's not letting this go, however. "When did we agree that?"

"We agreed it yesterday. Now stop! Closer!"

John is still isn't convinced. The picture on Sherlock's laptop swivels until John comes into the picture. "I wasn't even at home yesterday, I was in Dublin"

"It's hardly my fault you weren't listening."

John is bemused. "Do you just carry on talking when I'm away?"

"I don't know" Sherlock lifts an eyebrow. "How often are you away?"

John gapes at him. "How is that even-" He cuts himself off, then takes a calming breath. "Never mind." Sherlock takes up the whole bed anyway, so it's not really surprising that he wouldn't notice.

2. 

The pair are huddled together on a sofa, giggling. They've been kidnapped, flown into Buckingham Palace, and Sherlock isn't wearing any pants.

John tries to regain some composure. "Buckingham Palace" He clears his throat and sighs. "I'm seriously fighting and impulse to steal an ashtray." He shakes his head at himself while Sherlock is sent into another fit of giggling. John clears his throat again. "What are we doing here? Sherlock, seriously, what?"

"I don't know", Sherlock admits.

John ventures a guess. "Here to see the queen?"

Sherlock gets the perfect set up as Mycroft rounds the corner just at that moment. "Oh, apparently yes." The two of them collapse in laughter again.

Mycroft is far from amused. "Not much of a joke, coming from you of all people."

John sits up straight, having managed to calm down a little "You have to admit that it was a bit funny."

3.

When he wakes up, Sherlock is back home in bed and someone has dressed him in his pajamas. "John? John!" He manages to heave himself up, but falls promptly to the floor.

John appears in the doorway, seemingly as calm as ever. "Are you okay?"

"How did I get here", Sherlock slurs.

John scratches his ear "Well, I suppose you don't remember much, you weren't making a lot of sense. Oh and I should warn you, I think Lestrade filmed you on his phone" John pulls a face.

Sherlock doesn't seem to listen. "Where is she?"

"Where is who?"

Sherlock straightens up a bit and stumbles aimlessly across the room. "The woman, that woman."

"What woman?"

Sherlock spreads his arms "_The _woman! The Woman woman!"

John finally catches on. "Oh, Irene Adler? She got away, no one saw her" He adds "She wasn't here, Sherlock" As the drugged detective starts searching for her in the room.

Finally, when Sherlock drops to the floor again to look under the bed, John has had enough. "What are you- what? No, no…" John grabs him from behind and, with some swearing, manages to get Sherlock back into bed. "You'll be fine in the morning. Just sleep."

"Of course I'll be fine, I am fine", rambles Sherlock. "I'm absolutely fine!"

John doesn't argue. "Yes you're great. I'll be back in a minute, just yell if you need me."

"Why would I need you?"

"No reason at all."

4.

Sherlock finishes playing and bows to Mrs. Hudson, Lestrade and John.

"Lovely, Sherlock, that was lovely!"

John agrees. "Marvelous"

Mrs. Hudson laughs "I wish you could have worn the antlers"

Sherlock gives her a skeptical look. "Some things are best left to the imagination, Mrs. Hudson." Looking up, he sees Molly coming up the stairs. "Oh, dear lord…"

Molly comes in, weighed down by heavy clothes and bags full of presents, but smiling nevertheless. "Hello everyone! It said on the door just to come up..."

John takes Molly's coat and she's greeted by the rest of the group, as Sherlock comments with an eye roll.

"So, are we having the Christmas drinkies, then?"

Sherlock puts away his violin and sits down to busy himself with the computer. "No stopping it, apparently"

"It's the one day of the year when the boys have to be nice to me, so it's always worth it", Mrs. Hudson notes.

Molly turns to Lestrade, who's handing her a drink. "I wasn't expecting to see you; I thought you were going to be in Dorset for Christmas?"

"That's first thing in the morning. Me and the wife are back together, it's all sorted." Lestrade grins.

Sherlock barely glances up from his computer. "No, she's sleeping with the P.E teacher."

Lestrade's grin freezes. Trying to change the subject, Molly turns to John. "John, I hear you're off to your sister's, is that right?"

John nods. "Yeah"

"Sherlock was complaining-" the man in question looks up at her "- saying…"

"First time ever she's cleaned up her act." John raises his glass in a half toast. "She's off the booze!"

"John!"

"Hm? " John Walks over to Sherlock by the computer to read over his shoulder.

"The count on your blog, it still says 1895."

John smacks his hand on the table in mock outrage. "No! Christmas is cancelled."

Sherlock ignores him, gesturing to a picture on the blog. "And you've got a photograph of me wearing that hat!"

"People like the hat."

"No they don't", Sherlock pauses, making a calculation. He looks up at John, slightly scandalized. "You do!"

John starts, but decides he doesn't want to touch that one. He pointedly sets down his beer by the computer "Here, Take this." he sets his hands on Sherlock's shoulders, leans in and lowers his voice conspiratorially "You need to take a day off."

Sherlock doesn't get a chance to reply before a loud moan is heard.

Lestrade pulls a disgusted face. "Guys _really-_"

"It was my phone." Sherlock pulls his phone out to find another text: **Mantelpiece**.

John frowns. "Fifty seven."

"Sorry, what?"

"Fifty seven of those texts, the ones that I've heard."

"Thrilling that you've been counting." Sherlock stands up and walks absent mindedly over to the fireplace. He picks up a gift placed on it. He looks at it for a moment. "Excuse me." He turns and starts walking towards the bedroom.

John is visibly alarmed. "What's up, Sherlock?"

"I said, excuse me."

He goes into the bedroom to examine the gift closer, with John calling after him.

5.

John looks at Sherlock by the window, then turns to Mrs. Hudson. "Listen, has he ever lost anyone? Grandparents, a dog, anyone he cared about?

Mrs. Hudson shakes her head. "I don't know."

John sighs. "How could _we_ not know?"

"He's Sherlock. How will we ever know what goes on in that funny old head?"

The two smile at each other. They both look at Sherlock for a moment before John says his goodbye and goes out, only to find a black car with tinted windows waiting for him.

6. 

"It's for his own safety"

"So is this: tell him you're alive."

"I can't."

John has to take a deep breath. "Fine. I'll tell him. And I still won't help you." He turns on his heel, starting to storm off.

Irene Adler calls after him. "What do I say?"

John turns around again to face her, finally snapping. "What do you normally say, you've texted him a lot!"

Irene is unfazed. "Just the usual stuff."

John has calmed down a bit, deciding to logical route. "There is no usual in this case."

Irene reads from her phone. "'Good morning.' 'I like your funny hat.' 'I'm sad tonight, let's have dinner.' 'You look sexy in crime watch, let's have dinner.' 'I'm not hungry. Let's have dinner.'" She looks up at him.

John frowns in disbelief. "You flirted with Sherlock Holmes."

"At him, he never replied. Are you jealous?"

John glares at her. "He's my boyfriend, of course I'm jealous!"

Instead of replying, Irene holds up her phone to show him the new text she's written. "There. 'I'm not dead. Let's have dinner'" She hits send with a smirk.

John has to look away for a moment, trying to collect himself. "You really have no boundaries, do you? You seriously think it's okay to go after someone else's partner like that?"

Irene shrugs. "It's my job, remember?"

John doesn't have a reply to that. There is a short silence, then suddenly there's a moan from somewhere behind them.

7.

"So, she's alive then. How are we feeling about that?"

Sherlock doesn't have to answer, as bells conveniently start ringing at that moment. He looks out the window. "Happy new year, John."

John persists. "Do you think you'll be seeing her again?"

Changing tactics, Sherlock turns around, walks over to John. He takes his drink, setting it down on the table. John gives him a puzzled look, but then the detective leans forward and kisses him. John stills for a moment, before deciding to let it go. Instead he wraps his arms around Sherlock and pulls him closer, kissing him back.

8.

Molly takes a closer look at the screen. "Is that a phone?"

"It's a camera phone."

"You're x-raying it?"

"Yes, I am"

"Whose phone is it?"

Sherlock's gaze is still fixed on the screen. "A woman's."

"Does John know about it?"

Sherlock blinks. "You think I have a sexual relationship with this woman because I'm x-raying her possessions?"

Molly shrugs and smiles nervously at him. "Well, we all do silly things…"

Sherlock stills, and slowly looks up from the computer to Molly. "Yes. They do, don't they? Very silly…" He gets up to get the camera phone.

9.

"Hamish"

Irene and Sherlock turn to look at John, who is sitting by his computer and fuming.

When he speaks again, it is with rather unsubtle sarcasm. "John Hamish Watson. Just if you're looking for baby names."

Sherlock frowns at him in confusion, but doesn't have time to process it as John gets up and stalks out of the flat.

Irene seems completely unfazed. "There was a man. An MOD official, I knew what he liked." She starts to fiddle with her phone. "One of the things he liked was showing off. He told me this email was going to save the world, he didn't know it but I photographed it. He was a bit tied up at the time." She hands the phone over to Sherlock. "It's a bit small on that screen, can you read it?"

Sherlock takes the phone and sits down in John's recently vacated chair to study it. "Yes."

"Code, obviously. I had one of the best cryptographers in the country take a look at it, though he was mostly upside down, as I recall. Can you figure it out?" Irene leans over his chair. "What can you do Mr. Holmes? Go on, impress a girl." She leans in.

Sherlock's mind is already racing, mapping patterns in the sequence given to him, grouping letters together. By the time Irene kisses his cheek, he already as an answer ready.

"There's margin for error, but I'm pretty sure it's a flight 747 leaving Heathrow tomorrow at 6:30 in the evening for Baltimore, apparently it's going to save the world. Not sure how that could be true, but give me a moment, I've only been on the case for eight seconds."

He looks up at Irene, realizing that she's not following. "Oh come on, it's not a code, these are seat allocations on a passenger jet." He holds up the phone to her. "Look, there's no letter I because it can be mistaken for a 1. There's no letters past K, the width of the plane is the limit. The numbers appear randomly and not in sequence, but the letters have little runs of sequence all over the place, families and couples sitting together. Only a jumbo is big enough to need a letter K or rows past 55, which is why there's always an upstairs. There's a row 13, which eliminates more superstitious airlines and there's the style of the flight, number 007; that eliminates a few more. Assuming it is of British origin, which would be logical from the original source of the information, and assuming from the increased pressure on you lately that the crisis is imminent, the only flight matching all criteria and departing within the week is the 6:30 tomorrow to Baltimore from Heathrow airport."

Sherlock pauses. "Please don't feel obliged to tell me that was remarkable or amazing, John's already expressed that in every possible variant known to the English language."

Irene doesn't take her eyes off him. When she speaks, her voice is husky. "I would have you right here, on this desk, until you begged for mercy twice."

Sherlock's tone is dismissive. "I've never begged for mercy in my life." He turns to the computer and starts searching to verify his idea.

"Twice."

Sherlock suddenly stops, though not because of Irene. He frowns at the screen. "I was right, flight 007… Flight 007? …007… 007... What..?"

10.

"Coventry."

"I've never been. Is it nice?"

Sherlock stares at Irene for a moment. "Where's John?"

Irene frowns slightly and blinks at him in disbelief. "He went out, remember? Actually, he went out, came back, then went out again a couple of hours ago."

Sherlock glances around the room, a bit skeptical. "I was just talking to him"

"He said you do that."

11.

"I am about to go and inform my brother- or if you prefer, you are - that she somehow got herself into a witness protection scheme in America. New name, new identity. She will survive, and thrive, but he will never see her again."

"Why would he care? He despised her at the end. Wouldn't even mention her by name, just 'the woman'."

"Is that loathing? Or a salute? One of a kind, the one woman he met who was at his own level?"

John raises his eyebrows. "You think so? She lost to him, why would he do that?"

Mycroft straightens. "My brother has the brain of a scientist or a philosopher, yet he elects to be a detective. What might we deduce about how he thinks?"

"I don't know."

"Neither do I. But initially he wanted to be a pirate."

12.

"Is that her file?"

"Yes, I was just taking it back to Mycroft. Do you want to…?"

Sherlock sits down and looks into his microscope again. "No."

John hesitates for a moment, then starts to say something, but he is interrupted by Sherlock.

"However I will have her camera phone." He reaches out his hand.

"There's nothing on it anymore, it's been stripped."

"Well I know but I... I'll still have it." He keeps staring into his microscope, with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"I've got to give this back to Mycroft, you can't keep it." Sherlock doesn't budge. John tries to reason with him again. "Sherlock, it's the government's now, I can't just- "

"Please" Sherlock reaches out further.

John ponders it for a moment, then finally hands Sherlock the phone.

"Thank you."

"I'd better take this back."

"Yes."

John turns away, then changes his mind. "Did she ever text you again after…" he inclines his head. "All that?"

"Once, a few months ago."

"What did she say?"

"'Goodbye, Mr. Holmes.'" His voice is shaking ever so slightly. John nods to himself, hesitating. Then he puts the file down, walks around the table to stand behind his boyfriend and wrap his arms around him. Sherlock stiffens a bit at first, but then relaxes into the embrace. Neither of them say a word.


	5. The Hounds Of Baskerville

AN: After much computer related difficulty, here's finally the Baskerville rewrite. Thank you so much for your reviews, I hope you'll like this one as well. As a bonus feature (and in order to make it more scientific), there's a quick commentary at the end, explaining the alterations. Similar explanations may appear in the other chapters in due time. Enjoy!

* * *

**The Hounds of Baskerville**

1.

"It's a strange place, the Hollow. Makes you feel cold inside, so afraid- "

Sherlock lets out a frustrated sigh and rolls his eyes. "Yes, if I wanted poetry I'd read John's e-mails to his last girlfriend, it's much funnier."

John frowns in disbelief. "I deleted those years ago- "

Sherlock ignores him, still keeping his eyes on Henry. "What did you see?"

2.

"Sorry we couldn't get a double room for you boys."

"That's fine." John prods the barman a bit more for information until a man in chef's attire shows up behind the bar. The barman turns to him. "I was just saying we've been rushed off our feet, Billy."

"Yeah, lots of monster hunters. Doesn't take much these days, one mention on twitter and oomph." He turns to the barkeep- "We're out of WKD" - then back to John. "What with the monster and the ruddy prison, I don't know how we sleep at nights. Do you, Gary?"

The barkeep puts a reassuring hand on Billy's shoulder. "Like a baby."

Billy doesn't let him off the hook, though. "That's not true." He turns to John again. "He's a snorer." Gary tries to shush him, but is ignored."Is yours a snorer?"

John chuckles, but casts a slightly nervous glance at Gary. "Well, I'd rather he snored than take over the bed."

3.

Having realized what the 'Morse code' really was, John turns to walk back. He gets a text from Sherlock.

**Henry's therapist currently in Cross Keyes pub /S**

**SO?**

**Interview her?**

**WHY SHOULD I?**

In reply, Sherlock sends him a picture of the woman, clearly thinking that her looks will appeal to him. This causes John to finally speak out loud. "What the hell?"

4.

"How about Louise Mortimer, did you get anywhere with her?"

"No."

"Too bad. Did you get any information?"

John stops and turns toward Sherlock on his heel. "You actually set me up with her?"

Sherlock looks uncertain. "I thought you'd appreciate the gesture."

This causes John to lift his hand to his face and let out a frustrated sigh. "Gesture?" He looks up at Sherlock. "You're not supposed to... Sherlock, have you actually heard of monogamy? Is that an alien concept to you?"

Sherlock frowns at him, a bit confounded. "You never said it applied to us."

Exasperated, John turns around and starts walking away. After a beat, Sherlock runs after him.

"John!"

"No, it's fine. You're right…"

But Sherlock is already shifting gears. "What happened last night, something happened to me, something I haven't experienced before…"

5.

"Listen, what happened to me in the lab..."

There's a split second between that sentence and Sherlock reaching out to fiddle with John's collar – to the unobservant it could look like Sherlock hadn't heard him at all. "Is that a new shirt?"

John, in turn ignores the question. "I mean, I haven't been to the hollow, so how come I heard those things? Fear and stimulus, you said."

Sherlock moves closer and continues to play with John's collar and stroking his shoulders and back, providing a seemingly distracted reply. "You must've been dosed with it elsewhere, when you went into the lab maybe. You saw those pipes, pretty ancient, leaky as a sieve. They were carrying the gas, so..." He trails off, looking up at John. "It suits you"

John, however, is still focused on the drug. "Hang on. You thought it was in the sugar. You were convinced it was in the sug-"

John finds himself kissed into silence, and suddenly the pieces fall into place. He breaks away with a sigh. "Oh god. It was you, you locked me in that bloody lab."

* * *

_1. The first is one of those scenes easily fixed by changing a word, but there are further implications. Sherlock doesn't just read your e-mail, he reads everything you've ever written!_

_2. Set in a different context, the awkward conversation turns into more of a bonding session._

_3. cutting the scene entirely was a bit too much, and John's a bit too angry to just follow order, so..._

_4. Sherlock gets to fumble a bit with the unwritten rules of romantic relationships instead. _

_5. The original scene could have worked anyway, but now Sherlock has access to better diversion tactics than sauce, so I figured he'd use them. _


End file.
